


Don't Try to Break Me

by Semi_Weird_Shipper



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Attempted Seduction, Betrayal, Cuddling & Snuggling, Denial, Emotional Manipulation, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Healing, Hugs, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Kickback needs more love, Loss of Trust, Love Confessions, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mildly Dubious Consent, Recovery, Restoration, Sappy, Trust Issues, Unrequited Love, minimal violence, rare pair hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-05 13:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16368164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semi_Weird_Shipper/pseuds/Semi_Weird_Shipper
Summary: Kickback has been betrayed time and time again, always trying to prove himself worthy ofsomething, but never getting the pat on the back that he deserves. Everyone is always so mean to him even when he finally does something right. He just wants to be recognized by someone.And Kickback thought, for just one moment, that that someone would be Saberhorn... Boy was he wrong.





	Don't Try to Break Me

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the boat of Rare Pair Hell where today our main course of action will be Kickback x Chop Shop because why the heck not? Warnings are in the tags, so please read if you haven't already, and, as always....

He was being mocked. He could tell. He could feel it like blisters on his own back. Kickback had been mocked before, unceremoniously and purposely. It had been mutual most of the time, cruel some other times. He was use to it really. But this particular type of mocking, he was sensing, was far more serious.

Kickback couldn't ignore it.

In the hollowness of his empty spark, Kickback knew that he never belonged no matter how hard he tried to fit in. Sure, he might have scavenged and searched for a while until he found this mud ball piece of junk left over from the Alchemor, and decided it good enough a home to try and prove himself, but he needed to face it. No one liked him.

The dinobots picked on him almost every single day, Scorponok always called him names, Glowstrike was constantly shooting at him whenever he entered a room, and Saberhorn.... Well, Kickback wasn't quite sure what Saberhorn was doing.

Right now the green grasshopper mech sat outside on the shore, away from the Alchemor. He was sitting down, arms crossed in a self hug to keep himself compliant. Nothing made him want to go back inside- not even the urge to prove himself that he wasn't just some wash up, no good, cowardly scum or any of the other hundreds of names he's been called. As the bug retreated in on himself, he couldn't help but to hear something causing his antennas to twitch.

Kickback looked up in the direction of the Alchemor and watched as a familiar purple and maroon mech walked outside. _Saberhorn_. Kickback tried moving closer to the ground, hoping that the mech would not see him sitting on his lonely island, relaxed amongst the trees and quiet shade. But as Primus loved to scratch his paint, Saberhorn began looking around, optics intent and focused.

What was he looking for?

Hopefully not a fight. Kickback thought, his bright yellow optics widening. Saberhorn had been acting strange these last few days. It made Kickback feel uncomfortably paranoid and mocked. The purple decepticon had done some _things_ , things that made Kickback feel like a stuffed metal toy.

Once, a couple days ago, Saberhorn had actively touched his back and rubbed over the expanse of his shoulders. It had surprised Kickback so much that he squealed and jumped over twenty feet away. When he had looked back, Saberhorn was smiling and waving, acting innocent and genuine. It was just like the next day when the mech snook up on him and whispered something about how outstandingly he could jump and that he was sorry for startling him- he just wanted to talk.

The sudden nice behavior and kind touches had Kickback's antennas twitching so badly that they hurt later on. He didn't know what that pointy-headed fragger wanted, but he was not going to let his guard up. No matter how much he craved soft touches, soothing whispers and happy cuddles...

Kickball shook his head. No. No, no, no. Not again. He wouldn't let himself fall into another trap after already being tied to a tree and thrown out in a massive heap of garbage. He wouldn't. But when Saberhorn finally did turn his head, Kickback's antennas went crazy again.

The purple decepticon’s optics widened slightly and a smooth smile crossed his face plates. He pinpointed the grasshopper like a wolf would a rabbit and began walking across the bridge.

Kickback grumbled and tried sinking more into the earth below him. He didn't feel like being mocked right now... or maybe he did... As the purple con got closer and closer, Kickback's cheeks got hotter and hotter. He tried hiding his embarrassment in his arms, pretending like he had not acknowledged the other mech.

"Why Kickback," a most charming, exasperated voice with a thick accent said, "What brings you out here all by yourself on this distressingly hot day?"

"What's it matter to you?" Kickback asked in a defending tone, trying not to show his flustered antenna or red cheeks.

Saberhorn was now just feet away, so close and so far that it hurt. "I couldn't help but to feel a very noticeable missing presence in the base, so I came to investigate..." the mech looked down at him, a handsome smile graced across his face, "You can't really blame a mech for worrying, can you?"

Kickback was sure he looked like he had pink roses on his cheeks, as what Saberhorn said made him feel even more special. It warmed his spark and made him blush. "Well, just for the record, I'm right here," Kickback tried to sound unwavered as he shook his limbs to show that they were working, "So you don't have to worry."

"Lucky me," Saberhorn said in his charmed voice, leaning his head back and smiling, "Say, it is a beautiful day... Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Kickback made a small gasp and looked up at the purple mech, his face full of disbelief and surprise. The blush on his cheeks was very present and known and he could feel it as Saberhorn's optics fluttered downward, practically skimming across his face. He tried to hold back a giddy grin with a small smile, optics squinting happily as he scooted over, "Sure."

"Such a pleasure," Saberhorn commented as he adjusted his stance and sat down beside the grasshopper, optics a gleam in the morning sunshine.

"What is?" Kickback looked at him, his smile gone and replaced with curiosity.

"Sitting out here with you, of course," Saberhorn looked at him, smile so gentle and assured, "I very much enjoy spending time with you."

Kickback scuffed- as much as he loved the attention and wanted to believe that it was true- he looked over at the mysteriously suspicious mech with a faint glare. "You've never acted that way before," he gestured to his side where Saberhorn once hit him quite harshly, "And I don't know about you, but I don't like it when other bots enjoy my pain."

"Oh, I don't envy your pain," Saberhorn snarled in the direction of the Alchemor, his orange optics filled with anger, "I was merely angered with Scorponok's disapproval about you and I possibly being a team or... _something a little bit more_ , if you understand what I am saying?"

Kickback's optics were wider than ever, his antennas completely straight and still. Now he was sure that all the color in his face was gone or pale like the life had just been sucked out of him. It felt like he had the plague. "No," he had an idea but didn't want to admit it, "I don't."

Saberhorn looked at him, his smile returned as he lifted his servo up and outward. Even though the grasshopper winced, he still traced the edge of his back leg gently, "Oh really? So amusing... I thought by now... you would have figured it out."

Kickback offensively yanked his leg back and stood up, balling his fist, "I get your drift, but I don't understand why punching me had anything to do with it."

Saberhorn kept his seducing smile on as he stood up, almost like the impression of Steeljaw-much to Kickback's distaste- and calmly lifted his servo out. "I never meant any ill-well in the process of courting you. I had misplaced my anger wrongfully against you, and I do sincerely apologize for the harsh treatment. I should not have done that. My disagreement with Scorponok had gone past its limits... I am sorry."

The whole speech had Kickback turning red again. He wasn't sure what exactly to do or say, his processor having trouble getting all that confession straight. There was a lot that had him taken back, but the first thing that hooked him was the, "You've been trying to... to court me this whole time?"

Saberhorn did not look disappointed or unhappy as he nodded and smiled charmingly, "Why yes, my little hopper. I had a strong feeling that my provoking you had been level headed, but I was terribly wrong. I had assumed you were under the same circumstances as I."

The nickname had Kickback even more flustered and rattled than a butterfly. He bit his lip and stared at the other mech, mouth vacuumed of any intelligent words. Saberhorn had been trying to _court_ him? He had accidentally gotten angry and provoked him? Now he was confessing to liking him and wanting to be with him? He had apologized for being an aft.

"So let me get this straight," Kickback lifted his servos and stared at the ground for a few seconds, trying to figure out how he wanted to ask this, "You tried talking to the bosses to see if they'd let you court me?"

Saberhorn nodded.

"But they wouldn't let you so that was why you got mad at me?" Kickback took another few steps back.

He had been a punching bag before. He wasn’t going to be one again. But, Primus forgive him, he did have a giant balloon of hope throbbing inside his spark and he was internally bubbling up with eagerness and joy. To his shame, he was starting to admire Saberhorn, secretly checking his body out and thinking it to his liking. Every time they touched it sent off a cascade of fireworks inside his spark and made him want to shake so badly with happiness that he'd offline. He imagined it so hard; the being with his crush, cuddling every night, sweet long talks and loving conversations.

"I do remember saying 'sorry' for that," Saberhorn said and began approaching. To his hidden surprise and triumphing, Kickback didn't jump away this time. He lifted out his servos and went to cup the other mech's own, "But I do have splendid news... Here recently I had spoken with Glowstrike and she agreed to let us court if only we go on a short mission and come back with her requirements."

Kickback had to keep from jumping in excitement this time. "You... You really want a bot like me for a mate?" he asked softly.

Saberhorn took his servos and gave them a reassuring squeeze, rubbing the trembling palms with his thumbs. "Of course I do," he spoke proudly, "I couldn't imagine myself wanting anyone else."

"And Glowstrike said she'd let us be together?" It sounded too good to be true. Kickback almost couldn't believe it. Well, he guess he kind of could understand. Saberhorn had been trying to talk and touch him for the last month, but Kickback simply jumped away and buried himself under the impression that it was all fake and false desires. That his processor was just pulling pranks on him.

But no... It was true.

Saberhorn apparently did have a crush on him.

"Do I have your consent?" Saberhorn asked and leaned in even closer, releasing one servo to bring his up and cup the mech's chin, "Will you go with me on this mission so that we may accomplish it together and become... something more?"

"Yes," Kickback might have said it too quickly, maybe even too happily. But his spark was in the gold mines now, and all he could see were stars and fireworks. Someone wanted him. Someone actually wanted to laugh with him, spend time with him, hold him, talk to him, be with him and... love him.

"Hmm, good," Saberhorn stroked the grasshopper's cheek and leaned in even closer, his optics closing half ways in admiration and desire.

Kickback placed his free servo on the mech's shoulder, digits almost scraping into the paint as his antennas twitched and danced crazily. And when their lips met, it took every ounce of his being not to choke his pounding spark out into Saberhorn's mouth, forcefully keeping himself from jumping. The way their lips molded together, chests touching and bumping with a few quick clanks had Kickback moaning softly.

Saberhorn rubbed over the grasshoppers back and held his servo tightly, humming before lightly sucking on his lips, letting go with a little wet sound. Slowly they pulled away, optics darkened with lust. Saberhorn stared at the green mech's flushed cheeks, smiling at his twitching antenna. He brought them closer, pressing the grasshopper's helm against his chest and wrapping his arms around him.

Kickback never thought that he could feel anything like this. It was practically foreign. New. Nothing he had ever felt before. It was like being the only flower to grow beneath the thick long grass; never spotted, always stepped on and crushed. To know that somebody so tall, so big, could look down and actually see something in him made him feel more important and special than he had ever felt before.

And Saberhorn plucked Kickback from his stem and carried him off in the morning sunshine.

* * *

 

It was midday before Kickback and Saberhorn ever made it to the abandoned junkyard. From there they separated and began looking for the three little objects that Scorponok asked to be absolutely found before sundown or else they wouldn't be able to be together.

A walky-talky, a bicycle, and a old truck motor were the strange objects that they needed to find.

Kickback had jumped from one pile of garbage to the next, digging through the scrap and trying to find one of the three items. Saberhorn was looking through the hoods of upturned cars and crushed trucks, trying to find a motor decent enough to bring back to the Alchemor. Kickback would have to access his home screen and search up pictures of the items he was looking for, too confused by the names to get a proper idea.

Upon one pile of garbage, he came across a small white monitor with two little blue buttons labeled "A" and "B" on them. He pressed the top button and brought it up to his audios, listening to the static coming from inside the little device. "What the heck is this thing for?" he pulled it away and shook it, expecting some kind of noise to happen.

Although the pictures of the walky-talky things on his screen were mostly black or grey, they still had the buttons and little antenna things. Kickback looked back at the baby monitor before looking up at the sky. Just another hour or so of searching and it'd be getting dark. He huffed and placed the little white monitor in his sack, deciding that it was good enough for now.

Bicycles weren't hard to find. They were everywhere in fact. The only problem was that they fell apart everytime Kickback picked one up. The bikes be so old and worn out that they crumbled under the decepticon’s mass and fell apart, their spare parts going everywhere. Kickback had tried putting them back together, but it only ended with him throwing parts over his shoulder before hopping along.

For some time, Kickback looked out for that little plush toy he remembered seeing on the web. It was the perfect size for him. He really wanted one. So as he searched for a sturdy bicycle, he also looked out for one of those cute, little plushies.

Evening was drawing near. They'd have to be getting home soon.

Luckily for Kickback, he found a almost brand new mountain bike and stuffed it in his bag, patting the sack and feeling good about himself.

"Kickback, I say, do you have a moment you could spare?" Saberhorn's voice hollered from the distance.

Kickback stopped and smiled, seeing the purple mech standing beside a strange looking crane that was lifted high up in the air. Large straps were tied around the hook centered in the middle, holding up a small car from the open windows. It was at least twenty feet in the air, just hanging securely by its straps.

"Whata' ya need?" Kickback hopped over to Saberhorn.

"A wonderful use for your legs- not that they aren't always wonderful in the first place- but as you can see, I cannot reach that vessel and I believe there might be a manageable motor left inside," Saberhorn explained while gesturing to the crane above their heads, looking up at the car before locking optics with the grasshopper, "Would you mind jumping on up there and having a look?"

"Sure!" Kickback agreed to it joyfully, giving Saberhorn one of his most adorable faces. He took a few steps forward and looked up, getting an idea about which angle he wanted to jump up from.

"Allow me to take your baggage," Saberhorn lifted his servo out.

Kickback, thinking it as just a nice gesture, happily took off his little sack and handed it out for the other decepticon to take. From there he smiled and went back to concentrating on his aim. He took a few steps back and lowered his back before pushing his back legs forward.

Kickback jumped and landed on the top side of the red car, immediately scrambling to grab the straps before he slipped and fell off. His back legs struggled, but he soon found his ground and held on tight before regaining his balance and peeking over the edge of the car.

"Well done, Kickback," Saberhorn applaud, waving up at the little grasshopper.

Kickback laughed and waved back, blushing, "Hehe... Thanks."

Resuming his task, Kickback began to slowly menouvor towards the hood, being careful so that he wouldn't slip. The drop wouldn't be painful at all- Kickback had jumped from higher before- but the slippery surface of the car was very challenging to get a hold of. He was lucky he got it on the first jump.

Using his slender digits to pry underneath the partly smashed hood of the car, Kickback made a soft grunt and yanked the entire hood off in one go. Then he abruptly tossed it to the side with a small crash from where it landed in the trash, and resumed his task. Bending down, he looked inside the hood and scratched his head.

"Uhh... Which one is the motor thingy again?" he asked out loud.

"It would be the large circular device in the middle," Saberhorn pointed while walking over to the main controls of the crane, acting nonchalant and casual, "do you see it?"

"I think so," Kickback reached in and wrapped his servos around something kind of large but round. It was toward the side and came undone with a cringy screech and drippy wires, "This thing?"

Saberhorn looked up at the object Kickback was holding and shook his helm. Gas can. "Not quite... Keep looking toward the middle. You're getting there."

Kick tossed the gas can aside and looked back down. The only round object left was in the middle but it was big, connected by wires and bolts. "I think I see it," he leaned in and began tearing away the wires and other attachments.

Once all the no-goods were plucked away, Kickback reached his servos back in and placed them underneath each side of the motor. Then with a grunt and a clenching of his optics, he began to pull up. The motor came slowly, but with some determination and effort, it finally snapped loose and fell into the grasshopper's servo.

Kickback stumbled, "W-whoa..." He looked down at the motor as he held it against his chest, supporting it in his arms, "I got it! Is this it?"

"Yes, well done, Kickback," Saberhorn said cheerfully, standing suspiciously close to the crane controls, "Go ahead and bring it on down, yes. But be careful. Wouldn't want you to fall now would we?"

Kickback giggled at the compliments and concern from the purple mech, blushing as he got ready to jump down. But suddenly. The car he was standing on began shaking, and before Kickback could comprehend anything, the straps broke and he fell to the ground. The motor tumbled out of his servos, the fall not really hurting him but definitely being unexpected.

"What the..." Kickback rubbed his head and looked up, only able to catch a half second glance of a falling car blocking out the sun along with a monstrous crane and a pile of trash.

A bunch of wrenching noises happened, Kickback's yell of fright being swallowed by the noise as everything from about four-to-five tons fell on top of him. Trash and other objects fell on top of the grasshopper, followed by the crane in which added more weight to flatten everything down below into pancake fashioned illustrations. The car squeezing through the gap.

Then the crane was lifted.

Kickback, smashed beneath all the trash and debris, groaned and gasped as he began moving his arms around slowly. "Ohh..." He hissed lowly in misery as pain flooded his processor causing emergency warnings to pop up like race flags.

Kickback struggled, trying to sit up but his body felt far too tense and stiff, his back aching like he had been stomped on by a herd of predacons. His antennas weren't even twitching, his energy power saving mode on as his chest leaked enormously with energon. His left leg was completely broken in half, and there was a large pole or stick penatrateing in through his back and out through the bottom of his chest.

  
The world became an initial blur, things spiraling out of proportion in odd ways that made it seem like Primus was on the other side of the white light. Kickback groaned again, blinking and shaking away the shock and dizziness. He shook, feeling so in pain and totally smashed, too much to even process movement.

Then a dark shadow loomed over the wounded mech, and Kickback looked up and saw Saberhorn. He lifted a trembling servo, voice and movements weak as he wheezed, "Saber... horn... H-help... me."

Looking up at him, Kickback felt his spark sink into his tank when he saw that Saberhorn was _glaring_ at him, the look he was giving him full of pity and spite. "Pfft... Disgraceful bug..." He heard the purple mech mumble, watching as he bent down and grabbed the car motor, sticking it in his bag.

"Saberhorn?" Kickback whispered in a sad horror, his optics wide and tearing up in hopeful disbelief.

Saberhorn gave the grasshopper one last, long, hateful look before turning his helm and walking away. No word. No praise. No help and no mercy. He just simply took his needs and left.

Kickback watched him go for as long as he could before he had to turn his helm back and vent. He couldn't believe it. Saberhorn just... left him. He saw that he was hurt and just gave him that- that _look_. Like he was the nastiest thing ever to walk the planets. But after all he had said-!

Kickback felt tears fill his optics as his spark wrenched apart in his chassis, the external pain washed over by the emotional. He sobbed once, his optics squinted tightly as wave after tortuous wave of ugly truth rolled through him. Saberhorn hadn't wanted to court him, he just wanted to _use_ him. There was no love, fondness or care. He just wanted to manipulate him so that he could do... this.

Leaning up, Kickback shook as he tried examining the damage, pushing garbage away and pulling his good leg free. He gasped and yelped at the pain, cursing and trying to dig himself out of the trash. His back and chest ached to major Unicron, and his processor gave him warnings about severe energon loss and optional emergency shut down protocol. Kickback reached back to pull the heavy pole out of his back, crying out in pain and groaning sharply as he pulled it out in a snails pace.

Then, as the life age of pain dragged on, Kickback nearly screamed when he failed to remove the pole, his chest quivering strongly. He panted, processor and CPU going bizarre. He didn't know what to do. It hurt so much. His leg was broken, his body had been nearly smashed, he had a narrow pole sticking through him and he was too weak to do much other than crawl, stop and cry.

Kickback took refuge amongst the trash, only a few feet away from the crane as he leaned his head against his arms, crying softly. "Why'd I have to listen?" he said angrily to himself, disappointed that he let himself get reeled in so easily.

Suddenly Kickback had the very urge to just want to disappear, away from this world and Cybertron. No one liked him, and whoever did say they like him was all just for pretend. He was just a prep toy, used and abused constantly with no end. There was nothing for him. He was nothing here.

The sun fell beneath the horizon, trading places with a wide harvest moon. Kickback lay abandoned and wounded, feeling like the very trash he was laying on. The pain never subsided, but he had stopped bleeding which was something. The grasshopper sniffled and looked up at the big, reddish-orange moon and stared. The stars dancing in the upcoming night.

So peaceful, and yet so lonely.

Kickback didn't want to die, he was much too young and had too many things he wanted to do, but if he were to die because of these wounds, then he hoped he would die now. Out here where no one would see, no one would judge, and no one would comment. He'd pass away and no one would remember. Because he wasn't _anything_ to anyone.

Kickback's one working antenna suddenly twitched and he looked around in the direction he heard a noise. "S-Saberhorn?" he asked hopefully, a small part of him wishing that the mech would feel bad for his actions and come back and save him.

Optics bright and wide, Kickback searched the area but saw nothing. The sound happened again, this time from behind him. It sounded like skittering. Perhaps some earth rodent?

Ehk!

"S-Stay back," Kickback said, not wanting to be touched or pecked on by any of those little earth pests, "I'm warnin' you."

Although Kickback couldn't really see that well behind him, he still tried using his scariest voice (which sounded weaker than heck) to possibly scare off the creature. But the skittering continued, getting louder and louder. Kickback felt panicked, wishing that he could move away.

He kept looking behind him, tensing up until he felt a light tap against his servo and nearly jumped out of his armor. He squealed, jerking his servo back and shaking his head as he looked down in front of him. A little Cybertronian spider, that looked purple in the darkness, lit up the Grasshopper's face with matching yellow optics. And by the tiny insignia on its side, Kickback knew it was decepticon.

"Hmph," Kickback huffed, not too appeased, "And what are you suppose to be?"

The spider smirked and lifted its right arm, waving back and forth.

Kickback made a unhappy face, wanting to shoo the little techno-organic thing away before he caused him further despair or trouble. "And whata' you doing around here?" he snarked.

The spider kept smirking, jumping once and pointing to the trash around them. He used his back leg to lift up a little can he had found, but not being able to talk, he couldn't explain what it was for.

"Ok, so you're just bypassing," Kickback crossed his arms and leaned his head back, snuffing when the spider nodded, "Then leave. I don't know what you're still doing here."

The spider jumped at the mech's snappy behavior and leaned forward, blowing raspberries at his face before laughing wildly.

"Why you _little_...!" Kickback wiped his face before flaring his digits, getting ready to tackle the little pest as it jumped to the left, "Get outta' here-ahk!"

Kickback immediately reached back and clutched his side, the vast movements he made causing him to strain his back where the pole was. He stifled a cry and held his wounds, optics clenched shut.

Righty, who had been on the verge of enjoying his torment on the mech, turned around to see what happened and froze. The smirk on his face vanishing. He observed the cute looking grasshopper, and the wound that he certainly had not noticed earlier, and jumped in concern, scrambling forward to get a better look.

Kickback groaned in both sadness and pain as he held his chest, his spark hurting both internally and externally. His misery and emotional convulsion came back, devouring him into a giant black cloud of loneliness and hatred. Kickback was about to start crying again until he heard a strange clicking noise and looked down.

"I thought I told you to get lost," Kickback glared, not moving his servos away from where they were holding his injuries.

Righty clicked and jumped, skittering forward and moving in on the grasshopper's personal space. "H-hey!" ignoring his protest, he moved up and patted on his chest where his servos were, looking up at him and clicking.

"What?" Kickback felt confused now, this being toyed with and now poked at, but the expression on the spider's face looked to be all concern and curiosity. "It's just a scratch..." Kickback mumbled and looked away, "Doesn't matter."

Oh  _whatever,_ man! Righty jumped up and made more upset clicking noises, patting Kickback's chest and gesturing to the pole. He then moved back and circled around the grasshopper, jumping and clicking in sharper protest when he saw his broken leg and pierced back.

Kickback watched as the spider then stopped right back in front of him, sitting and lifting one leg like he wanted to hear the story. "What's it to you?" he asked bitterly, looking away and shrugging.

It wasn't like anyone cared about him anyway.

As Kickback expected the spider to either pressure him or run away, he was surprised when it crawled forward and wrapped its two front legs around his chest. The spider pressed its face against his chest, hugging tightly for a moment before looking up at the shocked grasshopper with a small smile.

"What are you _doing_?" Kickback asked in utter bewilderment, not sure what to think right now. It was weird, it was wrong, it was unexpected and it was... kind of cute.

The spider patted his chest and leaned back in for another hug, trying to get the grasshopper to hug back.

And Kickback did. He lowered his arms and hesitantly laid them over the little minicon's back and held him close. It was terribly strange. Why was he hugging him? Did he actually care that he was damaged? Was that what this was about? Was he really trying to... to _comfort_ him?

Kickback felt his spark warm slightly, even if it was in false hope, he needed this. He smiled a wobbly smile and held the spider closer, hissing at the sudden stinging from the pressure. He bit back a sob, loving the cuddling and warmth provided. Kickback heard the spider make a click sound and pulled back slightly.

Righty made a multiple-bucktoothed grin up at the grasshopper and tilted his head back. Presenting his neck.

Kickback took the silent command and moved his servo over to scratch underneath the Spider's chin, watching as he blinked sluggishly, head nodding faintly as the ministrations continued. A small purring sound began happening causing Kickback to chuckle at the adorable display before him, "He... You're kinda cute, you know."

Righty's only response was a deeper purring and a nudge into the grasshopper, wanting more scratches and pats.

It made Kickback relax, his beaten frame warming up slightly as if the cold, cruel world had been magically slayed away. Having made a new cute, adorable friend made his spark bounce. He needed some friendly company right now.

"Say, I don't suppose you know where a close hide-out is, do you?" Kickback asked in a more gentle voice, "Somewhere that isn't back there? At the Alchemor that is..."

Righty looked up and nodded, seemingly giddy about helping the grasshopper find a stay at his place.

"Great," Kickback smiled and shifted, looking around for a second before asking, "Can you take me there by any chance?"

Again, Righty nodded and stepped away, turning around and pointing in the direction it was that they needed to head.

And thank goodness it was opposite the direction of the Alchemor. Kickback sighed with relief and began to shakily push himself up off the garbage pile. His arms shook badly and his back throbbed, his right leg struggling to hold himself up without the support of his left one. Kickback hissed and clenched his optics shut as he tried his hardest to stand up.

The most the grasshopper was able to manage was one step before completely collapsing back against the garbage, full front this time. Alarmed, Righty jumped forward and clicked, making sure the bug was still okay.

Kickback groaned, just now realizing how weak and worn out he truly was. His body screamed with warnings and pain, his optics cloudy. He couldn't move. His spine wouldn't let him. He was too wounded. "I..." He gasped, servo struggling to reach out for his only friend, "I can't move."

Righty stepped back at this, his optics wide with an unreadable emotion that made Kickback fret.

"No!" Kickback tried struggling to sit up, but it was clear, he wasn’t going anywhere. So the best he could do was plead, "No, please don't go!"

But Righty had to. The spider turned around and began running away.

"No, no please!" Kickback started crying again, his optics unable to focus and body tensing in pre-forced shutdown. He didn't want to be left alone again, not like this, not while he was already wounded and alone.

The loss of tiny footstep sounds settled it. He was alone.

Kickback stared drowsily at the moon as he drifted in and out of stasis, his body shutting down. He sluggishly blinked, helm slowing down to the point he couldn't think much at all. And whatever felt like a million stellar cycles was just twenty minutes that passed, and a dark, purple shadow loomed over the little grasshopper. Four yellow optics staring down at him.

"An' what's a little hopper like you doin' out so late?"

**Author's Note:**

> And the ship sets sail- WEEEE!
> 
> Questions, comments, feedback and helpful criticism always accepted!


End file.
